Los Angeles @ Detroit preview
Comerica Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 27, 2013 ) LA Angels 3, Detroit 1
The Detroit Tigers broke out of their offensive funk their last time out and would like nothing more than to end their struggles in another area – beating the Los Angeles Angels. The Tigers, who host Los Angeles for the first of three games on Friday, halted a stretch in which they scored nine runs over the previous four games with Thursday’s 7-5 win over the Cleveland Indians. Ian Kinsler homered and drove in four as Detroit won for only the third time in eight tries.
The Tigers, who scored the second-most runs in the majors a season ago, hope those offensive struggles won’t return with the arrival of the Angels, who held them to a total of 17 runs in six 2013 matchups and have won the last nine meetings overall. Los Angeles looks to start its nine-game road trip off on the right foot after Chris Iannetta hit his fourth career walk-off home run in the 12th inning Wednesday as the Angels avoided a three-game home sweep by the Oakland Athletics. The Angels lead the majors with 24 homers and rank second with 83 runs scored.
TV: 7:08 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles) FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Jered Weaver (0-2, 5.79 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Drew Smyly (1-0, 0.00)
Weaver avoided taking a loss for the first time in three turns on Saturday, but Los Angeles fell to 0-3 in his starts after he surrendered four runs on three hits and four walks over 6 2/3 innings against the New York Mets. After yielding four home runs on the road in his previous turn, the three-time All-Star surrendered another at home against the Mets and is winless after three starts for the first time in his career. Weaver has also struggled in 10 career outings against the Tigers, going 3-4 with a 4.97 ERA.
After winning the rotation job in spring training, Smyly will make his long-awaited first start of the season as the Tigers haven’t needed him due to two postponements and three scheduled off-days. The 24-year-old has been sharp in his two middle-relief appearances, however, tossing a pair of scoreless three-inning outings while allowing two hits and striking out six. Smyly has a 2.77 ERA in three career appearances (one start) versus the Angels, but has yet to factor into the decision against them.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles has led at some point in five of its eight defeats and lost in its opponent’s final at-bat four times.
2. Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera went 2-for-4 on Thursday to record only the second multi-hit game of the season, but is 6-for-32 over his last eight contests.
3. The Angels placed OF Kole Calhoun on the disabled list and recalled OF Brennan Boesch from Triple-A Salt Lake City on Wednesday; Boesch played 380 games for the Tigers from 2010-12.
PREDICTION: Tigers 6, Angels 5